Hot dogs and fruit juice would disappear from Boston school menus this fall, and chicken breasts and fish would often replace chicken nuggets under proposals by the School Department and a community advisory council to provide students with healthier dining options.
These potential changes are part of a broader effort to overhaul the schools’ food program, school officials said this week. Other changes include hiring a new executive director of food and nutrition service, potentially expanding in-class breakfast to every school in the district, taking a hard look at improving kitchen facilities, and developing a long-term plan for defining and implementing healthy food options.
The possible menu changes “are some baby steps toward a much larger discussion in terms of how we deliver, how we provide, how we support food service,” said Kim Rice, assistant superintendent of operations.
Since the district has not identified all necessary changes, a price tag has not been set.
The proposals, which are being evaluated by school officials, follow a period of rising criticism of the food service by parents, students, and even some employees.
An external review last year found widespread dysfunction in the food program that was leading to millions of dollars in annual losses and creating an apparent “hostile work environment” for workers.
More recently, in April, the district slashed some food options at all schools, but those with cafeterias saw the largest reduction in variety to save money, drawing complaints from parents.
Under those changes, dishes such as chicken broccoli pasta and a garden salad with chick-pea and cheese came off menus. Hot breakfast was reduced to two days a week, and 37 food service workers lost their jobs.